The myth in question deals with Vulcan catching his wife Venus in bed with the godMars. As punishment, he hangs the adulterous (purple) couple from the ceiling by a net for all to see. In Alchemical terms, Vulcan is fire, Venus is Copper, and Mars is Iron. You use fire and iron to produce antimony regulus, then combine it with copper inside a crucible in an athanor. The resulting purple alloy has a crystaline structure that gives it a net-like surface pattern. The details of the myth provide the formula and steps of the alchemical process.

Newton and Starkey both believed ancient myth was full of such hidden alchemical knowledge, intentionally hidden mysteries and recipes passed down by an unwitting public that didn't know the meaning or relevance of the tales they told. See also Coded Myth.

The Net is one of the stepping stones toward the Philosopher's Stone. If you decode enough of the old myths, supposedly you'll develop all the alloys and substances necessary to make the Elixir of Life and turn lead to gold.